Solvent extraction



atented June l7, rear Willie W. Crcnch, rtl P e, 81)

Phillips Patrols Company,

designer to a coration of This invention relates to solvent extraction and particularly to the separation of organic compounds of diderent constitution by this means. In a specific aspect the present invention relates to the extractive separation of saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons. ore particularly the present invention relates to the separation of such hydrocarbons by means oi compounds of the mercaptal type represented by the formula RCH (SE02 where it represents either hydrogen or an alkyl radical and R represents a tertiary alkyl radical. The present invention also relates to novel compounds and solvents of the type referred to.

Modern developments in the production of high-octane gasoline and synthetic rubber have imposed problems of hydrocarbon segregation which are not readily solved by conventional means such as fractional distillation. Thus in the manufacture of butadiene from n-ioutane, the separation of low boiling butane-2 (B. P. 33.8 F.) from n-butane (B. P. 30.9" F.) is virtually impossible even in the most efidcient distillation columns. Similarly, the separation of butadiene from admixed olefins such as butene-l with a boiling point difierential of only 2.5" F. requires treatment other than fractional distillation. $imilar separation problems are also can countered in the preparation of normally gaseous feed stocks for use in alkylation and codimer plants. Present practice in making such dificult separations involves the use of extractive distillation wherein a relatively nonvolatile solvent is employed in the manner of, but in addition to, normal reflux. The solvent by virtue of its solective absorption action favorably affects the relative volatilities of the hydrocarbons in question to such an extent that an efilcient fractionating tower can effect the desired separation. Among the solvents which have found commercial acceptance for extractive distillation in the butadiene field are furfural, B,B-dlchloroethyl ether (chlorex) and acetone. However, there are certain inherent disadvantages connected with the prolonged use of these solvents at distillation temperatures among which may be mentioned polymerization and tar formation in the case of iurfural, hydrolysis with resultant corrosion in the case of the dichloroethyl ether, and solvent loss coupled with ineihclent extraction in the case of acetone. Thus, it is obvious that solvents of comparable selectivity, out with superior stability would represent an advance in the art.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide for the separation oi hydrocarbon com- Se N pounds of diflerent chemical constitution by means of selective'solvents comprising di-tertallql mercaptals.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved class of solvents tor use in the extractive distillation of mixtures of normally gaseous saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons which comprises selected aliphatic mercaptals.

A further object of this invention is to provide tertiary aliphatic mercaptals as selective solvents in the separation of saturated and unsaturated normally gaseous hydrocarbons.

Another object is to provide the mercaptals of tertiary aliphatic mercaptans as selective solvents in the separation of diolefins from monooleilns.

A still further object of this invention is to provide new and useful chemical compositions comprising the mercaptals of tertiary mercaptans.

other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent disclosure and appended claims.

I have discovered that the mercaptals of; the lower aliphatic aldehydes show a preferential solvent activity toward the various types of hydrocarbons. The mercaptals formed from the lower aliphatic aldehydes and tertiary alkyl mercaptans constitute a class of compounds particularly desirable as selective solvents for unsaturated types of hydrocarbons. In general, the unsaturated typesare absorbed to a greater extent than the corresponding saturated compounds and, among the unsaturates, the more unsaturated compounds are dissolved to a greater extent than the more saturated compounds.

While the preparation of mercaptals from a condensation of aldehydes with meroaptans has been described, in general, the mercaptals of this invention, namely those from the tert-alkyl mercaptans, have not, to my knowledge, been prepared or described in published literature.

Since the present mercaptal solvents, whose preparation is described hereinafter, are miscible with hydrocarbons vapor-liquid extraction is preferred. A convenient method for such extraction is a system of extractive distillation in which hydrocarbon vapors are contacted countercurrently with the liquid solvent in a fractionating tower or distillation column; Ordinarily the mixture of hydrocarbons being separated is vaporized and introduced into a lower section of the tower where the vapors pass countercurrently to the liquid solvent and/or reflux which is introduced at a point higher in the tower. The

3 more unsaturated compounds are selectively absorbed and concentrated in the liquid body of solvent collecting in the bottom of the tower and the remainder of the vapors pass overhead in the eflluent wherein the more saturated compounds are concentrated. The absorbed compounds are subsequently recovered from the solvent in a separate operation. The temperature for the absorption operation is above the bubble temperature of the hydrocarbon mixture and below the boiling temperature of the solvent. If a normally gaseous mixture is :being separated by extractive distillation, a relatively low temperature may be employed, while if a normally liquid mixture is separated by the same process a higher temperature is usually required. Subatmospherlc pressures may be employed in order to reduce the temperature if the hydrocarbon mixture is thermally unstable at higher temperatures. Suitable temperatures may range from about the bubble temperature of the mixture or melting point of the solvent compound (whichever is lower) to about 250-300 F. or below the boiling temperature of the solvent at pressures from about 0.1 pounds per square inch absolute up to about 200-300 pounds per square inch or higher.

Mercaptals useful in the practice of this invention may be formed by the condensation of suitable aldehydes with selected mercaptans in the presence of hydrochloric acid according to the reaction,

Aldehyde Mercaptan Mercaptal where R is either hydrogen or an alkyl group, and R is an alkyl group preferably of tertiary configuration.

Where R is hydrogen and R is a tertiary butyl radical the product is formaldehyde di-tert-butyl mercaptal; if R is a methyl group and R a tertiary dodecyl radical the compound is acetaldehyde di-tert-dodecyl mercaptal, etc.

Mercaptans containing a tertiary alkyl group are preferred, in the preparation of the mercaptals of this invention because of their availability and the stability of the mercaptal compound formed therefrom. Processes suitable for preparing this type of mercaptan from olefins and hydrogen sulfide are the subject of several copending applications of which I am a coinventor and one copending application, Serial No. 493,466, filed July 3, 1943, now Patent No. 2,392,555, issued January 8, 1946, to Walter A. Schulze, in particular, is concerned with a two-stage process involving the isomerization of an olefinic feed stock and reaction of the isomerized feed with hydrogen sulfide to form tertiary mercaptans. Mercaptals formed from tertiary mercaptans are found to be exceptionally stable to heat and hydrolytic cleavage and are somewhat analogous to other tertiary carbon compounds in their stability over compounds of primary and secondary configuration.

The tertiary alkyl derivatives of aliphatic aldehydes which are the preferred solvents of this invention include those mercaptals having sulfide radicals containing tertiary alkyl substituents ranging from butyl to cetyl or higher. For the aldehyde of the reaction, readily available compounds such as formaldehyde and acetaldehyde are ordinarily used in the preparation of the preferred mercaptals but the higher aliphatic homologs, such as propionaldehyde, butyraldehyde and others, may be used.

ATO-

matic and/or cyclic aldehydes are not excluded but tend to form heavy and viscous liquids or solids, upon reaction with the mercaptans and so are not as desirable as the lighter compounds in the preparation of the selective solvents. However, the mercaptals may be used in admixture with diluents or auxilliary solvents provided the mercaptal and/or mixture of mercaptal and auxilliary solvent or diluent are unreactive with the hydrocarbon mixture being separated. Similarly, the mercaptal solvent of this invention may be a mixture of two or more of the tertiary aliphatic mercaptals which are the preferred solvents of this invention.

Description of the preparation of the novel solvents of this invention and of the effectiveness of the solvents in the separation of mixtures of hydrocarbons of varying degree of saturation is given in following examples which are presented for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

EXAMPLE I Boiling point, 60 mm F 275-277 Density, g./ml. at F 0.910 Refractive index, 20 C 1.4858

A sample of the mercaptal (acetaldehyde ditert-butyl mercaptal) is used as a selective solvent in the extractive separation of a hydrocarbon mixture of n-butane, butene-l and butadiene. The evaluation was carried out as a one-plate or single stage extractive treatment wherein the hydrocarbon system of known composition is commingled with the mercaptal in such a manner as to provide gas-liquid equilibrium. The hydrocarbon composition in the dissolved and gaseous phases at F. and 60 pounds per square inch absolute is given in the following Table I,

Table I Gas Composition in M01 Per Cent Dissolved Undissolved Blend Gas Gas N-butane 27 21. 5 as. 3' Butenc-1 47 50. 3 43. 0 Butadiene 26 28. 2 20. 7

EXAMPLE II Another sample of the acetaldehyde di-tertbutyl mercaptal of Example I is used in a single stage or one-plate extractive treatment in which the hydrocarbon blend of Example I is commingled with the mercaptal to provide gas-liquid equilibrium at 140 F. and 50 pounds per square inch absolute. The hydrocarbon composition in the dissolved and gaseous phases is given in the following Table II.

An examination of the data in the tables accompanying the preceding examples shows that the mercaptal is efi'ectively selective for the unsaturated hydrocarbons. The concentration of the unsaturated compounds in the dissolved gas which is recovered was increased about per cent, the increase in concentration of the more unsaturated hydrocarbon, butadiene, being the greater. The concentration of the unsaturated compound in the undissolved gas is consequently decreased from the concentration of the original blend. At the same time, the percentage of butane, or saturated hydrocarbons, has substantially increased in the undissolved gas.

For comparison, similar data is presented on extraction with furfural which has been used extensively in commercial extraction. The evaluation was conducted in apparatus similar to that used in the examples under the favorable conditions of temperature and pressure of 167 F. and 85 pounds p. s. i.

Table III Gas Composition in M01 Per Cent Dissolved Undissolved Blend Gas Gas N-butane 27 24. 2 29. 3 Butene-l 47 48. 3 49. 6 Butadiene. 26 27. 5 21. l

The data in Table III shows that furfural is selective in the extraction of unsaturated hydrocarbons since the concentrations of butane-1 and butadiene are increased in the dissolved portion of the gas and the concentration of the butane is decreased therein. However, it is further evident from the tables that the selectivity of the mercaptal in separating the unsaturated from the saturated compounds as shown in Tables I and II is greater than that of furfural as indicated in Table III.

EXAMPLE III resulted in a product having a sulfur content of 14.4 per cent with a refractive index, 11. of 1.4928 and a density at 75 F. of 0.920.

The properties of acetaldehyde di-tert-dodecyl mercaptal as a selective solvent for unsaturated compounds were closely analogous to acetaldehyde di-tert-butyl mercaptal described in the previot examples.

The foregoing data indicate that the solvents c the present invention are highly suitable for th separation of paraffins, olefins and diolefins fror each other. These solvents are also applicab] to the separation of aromatic compounds fror more saturated compounds, such as separation benzene and toluene from naphtha fraction con taining the same. I

Various modifications and changes may be mad without departin from the spirit of the inven tion which should be limited only by the scope c the following claims.

I- claim:

1. A process of separating hydrocarbon com pounds of different degrees of saturationfrom mixture containing the same which comprise contacting said mixture with a liquid compoun of the class of di-tert-alkyl mercaptals under con ditions which will permit selective dissolution c the less saturated compounds in said di-tert-allq mercaptal.

2. A process for the extractive distillation of hy drocarbons of different chemical constitutio: which comprises contacting the mixture in th vapor phase with a liquid selective solvent com prising a mercaptal of the general formula,

in which R is chosen from the group consisting c hydrogen atoms and alkyl radicals and R rep resents a tertiary alkyl radical, forming tw phases and separating the phases.

3. A process according to claim 2 in which th liquid compound is a mercaptal in which R rep resents a tertiary alkyl radical from the grou containing 4 to 16 carbon atoms.

4. A process of separating a mixture of hydro carbons of different chemical constitution whic comprises contacting the mixture with a di-teri alkyl mercaptal at a temperature above the bubbl temperature of the mixture and below the boilin point of the said mercaptal.

5. A process according to claim 4 in which th 'mercaptal is withdrawn from the zone of contac and the absorbed hydrocarbons are recovere therefrom.

6. A process for the extractive distillation of mixture of saturated and unsaturated hydrocar bon compounds which comprises contactin th mixture with a di-tert-alkyl mercaptal to for! an extract phase comprising the mercaptal and major portion of the unsaturated compounds an a vapor phase comprising a major portion of th saturated and a minor portion of the unsaturate compounds, and recovering the absorbed com pounds from the extract phase.

7. A process for the separation of a mixture c hydrocarbon compounds of difierent degrees saturation which comprises contacting the mix ture with a di-tert-alkyl mercaptal to form an ex tract phase comprising the mercaptal and a ma jor portion of the less saturated aliphatic com pounds and a vapor phase comprising a majc portion of the more saturated aliphatic com pounds and a minor portion of the less saturate aliphatic compounds, and recovering the at sorbed compounds from the extract phase.

8. A process for the extractive distillation of mixture of olefins and diolefins which comprise contactinga mixture with a di-tert-alkyl mercar tal to form an extract phase comprising the mei captal with a major portion of the diolefins an a minor portion of the olefins and a vapor pha:

comprising a major portion of the olefins and a minor portion of the diolefins.

9. A process of separating a mixture of hydrocarbons of different chemical constitution which comprises contacting said'hydrocarbon mixture in the vapor phase with a mixture of liquid di-tertalkyl mercaptals selected from the group of mer captals formed on condensing aldehydes of from one to four carbon atoms per molecule and tertalkyl mercaptans of at least 4 to 16 carbon atoms per molecule, forming an extract phase and a vapor phase, and recovering the absorbed hydrocarbons from the extract phase.

10. A process for the extractive distillation of a mixture of hydrocarbons of different chemical constitution which comprises contacting the mixture with a selective solvent to form an extract phase and a vapor phase, said selective solvent comprising a major portion of a di-tert-alkyl mercaptal.

11. A process for the separation of a mixture of hydrocarbon compounds of difierent degrees of saturation which comprises contacting the mixture with a liquid alkyl mercaptal to form an ex tract phase which comprises the alkyl mercaptal and a major portion of the less saturated compounds and a vapor phase comprising a major portion of the more saturated compounds and a minor portion of the less saturated compounds, and recovering the absorbed compounds from the extract phase.

12. A process according to claim 11 in which the alltyl mercaptal is from the group having 4 to 16 carbon atoms in the alkyl radical.

WILLIE W. CROUCH.

REFERENEES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES FATE'N'TS Number Name a Date 2,11%,852 McKittrick Apr. 19, 1938 2,204,903 McKlttrick June 13, 1940 2,347,432 Polly et a1. Apr. 25, 1944 2,212,150 Burke Aug. 20, 1940 2,229,665 Mochel Jan. 28, 1941 2,369,612 Schirm Feb. 13, 1945 

